A Study by Cincinnati Children’s Innovation Research
Student Retention Research: How Family Feedback Predicts School Re-Enrollment
What causes students to leave a school, and how can educators identify attrition risk before it happens? This research brief, developed by the Cincinnati Children’s Innovation Research Arm in partnership with Possip, analyzes three years of family feedback from school districts in Illinois, Tennessee, and Texas to better understand the relationship between parent feedback and student re-enrollment. The findings reveal that the tone of qualitative family feedback is one of the strongest predictors of student retention, offering school leaders a powerful, proactive tool for improving enrollment stability and strengthening relationships with families.
The study found that positive and neutral family comments were more strongly associated with student re-enrollment than traditional sentiment scores, feedback topics, or comment types. Conversely, increasingly negative feedback throughout the school year was linked to a greater likelihood of student attrition. These findings suggest that schools can identify at-risk families earlier by continuously monitoring qualitative feedback and responding before concerns lead to student withdrawals.
In addition to presenting original research findings, the report offers practical recommendations for school and district leaders. Strategies include prioritizing family engagement during key transition years, monitoring changes in feedback tone, conducting annual analyses of family feedback topics, and implementing regular check-ins with families expressing neutral or negative concerns. Together, these approaches help schools improve student retention, strengthen family trust, and support long-term enrollment success.
Whether you’re a superintendent, principal, enrollment leader, or researcher, this study provides evidence-based insights into student retention, family engagement, and predictive analytics in education. Download the report to explore how continuous family feedback can help schools reduce student attrition, increase re-enrollment, and build stronger, more connected school communities.
